Chapter 12
Chapter 12
WHEN the two guests entered Rifaenotis’ cabin, Vigo headed to Rifae’s room in the back and Selena took to the bathing area to clean off after a long journey on horseback. Meanwhile, Est and Yuki made dinner, and in no time it was time to eat.
Rifae took it upon himself to introduce Yuki to his guests: Vigo Kollo and Selena Beautante. Like Rifae, they had served in Rvydom’s military. Selena held the rank of Black Knight and was contracted with Vigo. A black ring glistened on her right hand.
Oh, looks like rings take on the same color as the Knight’s rank.
Thinking back on how her own ring was violet and Tita’s was brown, her heart squeezed.
“Okay, cutting straight to the point, you will be taking Yuki along with you, yes?” Rifae insisted after dinner when the five of them surrounded the tiny dining table as Est served after-dinner tea.
Yuki’s situation had been summarized for them during dinner.
“Don’t make it sound like a question when you plan on forcing her on us,” Vigo demurred, tossing back his drink. Being the only one drinking alcohol, his breath reeked of liquor.
“Pretty much, yeah,” Rifae confessed with a chuckle. The softness in his expression led Yuki to believe they were really good friends.
“I’m all for it! Charging headfirst into danger for the man she loves without even stopping to consider the consequences is hopelessly reckless, but I like the sound of it!” Selena chimed in.
I never said I was doing this for a man I love… Plus, she just bluntly called me reckless and mocked my plans.
Selena’s left hand had stayed on top of Yuki’s head ever since dinner ended. Not once did she stop stroking Yuki’s hair like she was some kind of cat.
“Selena, you seriously need to listen to what other people say.”
“Oh my, but I did listen?”
Rifae sighed. With perfect timing, Est placed a cup of black tea in front of him. An aromatic scent wafted with the steam.
“Either way, I’m in support of taking her. What about you, Vigo?” Selena asked, tossing a glare over at Vigo who leisurely sipped on his vodka as he studied Yuki.
“From here we are going to travel around Rvydom distributing medicine to the sick. It will be a long detour before you get to Adolunde,” he pointed out between sips.
“Yeah, I know,” Yuki answered without a moment’s delay. Vigo’s eyebrow arched.
“Nice reply… But do you really know what it entails? It means we’re going to where the Ten Day Fever is most rampant.”
The Ten Day Fever…I forgot about that. Rifae has been making medicine all this time. Distributing it is their primary goal.
“I understand the risks.” She flattened her lips in a straight line.
“You don’t understand the risks. I’m trying to warn you—you might catch the Ten Day Fever.”
Oh, that’s a good point.
“Selena’s a Knight, so she can’t catch it. Well, even if she does, it won’t do much to her. Incidentally, I’m one of the few who caught it in the past and made it through alive. I won’t ever be afflicted with it again. This is why we can go into the highly infectious areas without issue. Have you ever caught the Ten Day Fever before?”
It’s unrelated to the mumps, chickenpox, and measles, right?
“…I haven’t.”
A loud sigh cracked the silence, followed by the cloying scent of alcohol.
“I haven’t…but!” All eyes were on Yuki. “I have no intention of dying either! So I’m coming with you!” She laid out all her cards in one loud shout, causing Est to jump just as he tried to put down her cup of tea. “Ah, sorry.”
“Uh, don’t be. Here…drink up,” Est said, wiping the side of the teacup where the tea trickled down and safely put it in front of her this time.
Yuki nodded, reaching for the teacup. Selena caught her hand before she could grab the cup. Before she knew it, Yuki had been pulled on top of Selena’s lap. Once again, she was squeezed from behind like a stuffed animal.
“Oh my gosh! What a short-tempered and foolhardy girl you are! So cute! She’s just so lovable and precious, Vigo!”
Is she complimenting or mocking me?
The soft mounds pressing against her back and the pleasant, woody scent coming from behind her were comforting. It reminded her of her parents’ tendency to hug and squeeze her. Being hugged brought back a long-forgotten nostalgia for home.
“Sassy brat, aren’t ya? …Rifaenotis, you’ve picked up another strange pet.”
“Oh, but Yuki is a sweet kid, you know? She’s considerate and often helps out with whatever’s needed. She’s got a knack for tidying up.”
“That’s only because you couldn’t tidy up if your life depended on it.”
“My, what an affront. Everyone else is simply more adept at it.”
“Is that what you’ve convinced yourself?” Vigo remarked. “‘ey, precocious brat. Outta respect for ya grit, I’ll bring ya along.”
“Really?” asked Selena, not Yuki. “We did it, Yuki! We need to be grateful to Rifaenotis.”
“Uh? What?”
Why Rifae?
Yuki squirmed to escape the arms squeezing her even tighter. Selena pinned her arms behind her back so she couldn’t struggle anymore, during which Yuki glimpsed Rifae’s face.
“Because Vigo was against bringing you from the start. Didn’t he refuse you as well, Rifaenotis?”
“He did?!” Yuki swiveled her head toward Vigo. He slept with his face planted on the table. A booming snore came from him every few minutes. Rifae said nothing, a smile plastered on his pretty face.
“You must have really gotten Rifaenotis to favor you, Yuki. Of course, I’ve taken a liking to you too,” Selena gushed, squeezing Yuki again.
“Gya!” She started choking as Selena’s arm put too much pressure on her stomach.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Selena apologized, loosening her death-grip.
“…Rifae, didn’t you say I would pass the test and be fine with them? This isn’t what you promised,” Yuki pouted.
“Oh, but isn’t it?” Rifae grinned. “Didn’t it turn out just fine?”
“But Vigo was against it—”
“But he ended up agreeing. Everyone present is a witness to it.”
Sure, that’s how things ended up, but what if we couldn’t convince him? What was he planning to do then?
“It’s Vigo’s fault for having a weakness for alcohol. He doesn’t even consider he might get taken advantage of.”
“What?”
“Wow, scary,” Selena breathed behind her.
“Was it your plan from the start to ply him with alcohol and get your way once he was too drunk to think straight?”
In place of an answer, he offered a bewitching smile. “I can’t stand anyone who opposes me, dear.” Rifae finished off his tea.
…Is this what it means to be an adult? How long ago did he plan for this?
“And this is why I never want to make an enemy of Rifaenotis! Est! You mustn’t ever become an adult like him! Aaah, and Yuki, I don’t want you getting infected by his cunning disease either!” Selena increased her stranglehold again.
Ugh. I’m going to barf.
“M-Miss S-Selena!”
“I don’t want you being formal with me like we’re strangers! Call me Selena!” she ordered, putting more pressure around Yuki’s abdomen.
“S-S-Selenaaaa. Uuum, arms. Your a-arms. I’m gonna b-barf…”
“Rifae, would you like another cup of tea?”
“Yes, please. Selena, sweetie, why don’t you quit loving on her like a child unbefitting of your age?”
“I’ll think about it if you quit using that feminine tone with me.”
“S-S-Selena…”
Vigo’s snores filled in the silence between their back-and-forth quips. And, just like that, the night wore on.